Sun Debuts Java 'iPhone'

An anonymous reader writes to tell us that this week at the JavaOne Conference, Sun debuted it's answer to the iPhone. While it is still months away from being a reality this phone is set to put them in direct competition with some of the top cellphone vendors. "Java Mobile FX is "a complete desktop-scale environment that puts the network in your hand," said Richard Green, executive vice president of Sun's software group, announcing the product in his keynote address. Sun ported the Savaje code to a Linux kernel and is expanding the applications programming interfaces and set of developer tools that will ship with it. It plans to make the code available on other platforms in the future. Sun has no licensees for Java Mobile FX yet. However, it is in conversations with carriers and handset makers now and hopes to see cellphones using the software ship in early 2008. "

This is NOT a phone

[Andy_R]

It's an operating system for phones, so it's a competitor to the likes of the Symbian OS, not Apple's iPhone.

Re:Pics

[escay]

here's the webcast of the session [sun.com] the phone introduction starts at ~22.00 minutes into the video. It's a complete touchscreen interface, fits into the palm nicely (looks smaller than iPhone?) and has an icon-driven GUI that looks suspiciously similar to the iPhone.

Read my Lips... It's the interface...

[ahg]

Until users get the devices in their hands and can evaluate the "feel" of the device there's no way of knowing if either phone will be a flop or success. Apple has consistently performed in this area in the past few years. In terms of interface experience they are probably years ahead of Sun, who is used to making computers for a more elite "geek" crowd. No one can say yet if the iPhone will be a success, but if I were a betting man... my money would be on Apple topping Sun's sales by 2 to 1. Sun's more "open" device may be a geek's dream, but IMHO, unlikley to have mass consumer appeal.

My $0.02

Re:more than a replacement

[Ilgaz]

What if you need to call 911, and some strange app crashes your phone? I think that's at least part of the reason Apple has closed off the iPhone.

Now, picture a Java phone. You are in trouble and need to call 911. Man, it's so slow from that bloated framework that the buttons respond 1 second after I press them. Then- *crash!*

There are 2 BILLION phones having sort of Java and the Java apps in phones are very strictly watched by the device itself. There hasn't been a single java related system freeze on phones since they are coded exactly that way, considering the emergency device nature of the platform.

Java applications never run at background or the system itself could never get effected by Java. Java runs on a seperate subsystem. All phones you see are regulated by very very strict organisations before they hit the market.

Here are some stats for Java:

over 800 million PCs
over 1.5 billion mobile phones and other handheld devices (source: Ovum)
2.2 billion smart cards
plus set-top boxes, printers, web cams, games, car navigation systems, lottery terminals, medical devices, parking payment stations, etc.

  If you like iPhone, buy it. I personally won't because my bank requires J2ME for password generation. Just don't excuse for Steve Jobs.

As owner of 3 Macs, let me tell you something: Apple HATES Java, always hated and that is why we are stuck on Java 5 while the people using platform which tried to kill Java are enjoying Java 6 final release.

If you put Java to a device, you lose control of end user. That is why. Nobody dieing, nobody falling from roof, no device exploding, no network downing because of J2ME, a platform which is used on 1.5 billion devices.

You know iTunes interface? It will have "Apple iPhone Software" tab, that is why Apple doesn't put Java in it.

Re:Much like pornography...

[iwoof]

Pretty Picture here http://blogs.sun.com/jonathan/entry/when_not_where [sun.com]

--Woof!

Re:How does this compare to OpenMoko?

[kripkenstein]

How do they compare? Sun's system is running on the OpenMoko hardware (FIC Neo 1973), i.e., they are one and the same. You can see it clearly from the pictures: OpenMoko Neo 1973 [openmoko.com] vs. new Sun offering [sun.com]. Plainly this is the exact same hardware.

I wonder why that wasn't in the Summary.

Re:more than a replacement

[Ilgaz]

Ever run a single J2ME application? There is nothing like that. Even on Desktop, apps look for a major version and they work. There is even Java Webstart which doesn't exist in any other language, a single click install/run and secure same time.

For J2ME? You just send .jar as a message to phone. Nothing else. It asks if you really want to install it, bitches about certificate at worst scenario. What if you got impossible to run .jar file? It says "can't execute, exception" and continues its life.

Now things are even better, Sony Ericsson phones having "Walkman" thing can auto update their own firmware including Java subsystem. Automatically.

I just installed Putty (Ssh) to Series 80 Symbian before I read this article via drag and drop using OS X Finder. As far as I see, my GSM network is still up and running :)

Re:Killer app

[drew]

If you want incoming calls to "just happen" without having to find your phone first, I think you need to start talking to some quantum mechanics researchers, not the electronics companies that make the current generation of phones.

Re:Killer app

[Anonymous Coward]

Where have you been? Under a rock?

Go to cnet, AT&T, Verizon, etc....get yourself the LG's VX8000 (it so new I bought it two years ago). It shows you the time while you're talking, I have a call history that goes back to January 1st....it use to go longer but I deleted it when I realized there was a reason I hadn't called those people in 2 years. I'd tell you to quite whining and lurking on slashdot and go do some freaking research, you might actually find your needs have already been met, but this is slashdot, I might as well be asking everyone to go outside and enjoy the sun (myself included).

Re:How does this compare to OpenMoko?

[kensan]

This has been discussed in the #Openmoko IRC-Channel on Freenode and it seems that Sun is using photoshopped GUI-Mockups. Apparently Sun is not in contact with FIC/OpenMoko-Devs... *Disclaimer "hear, say" - no "official statement"*

Re:Much like pornography...

[Wizzard]

The phone displayed is the FIC Neo1973 [openmoko.org] and was designed as part of the OpenMoko [openmoko.org] open phone project. Developer versions of the phone will be available shortly.